Building Boats in the Desert

Caroline Godin is struck by the beauty and truth in a song and remembers many boats she’s built in her life amidst deserts.

Sometimes a song strikes you personally, and “Build a Boat” by Colton Dixon is one of those songs for me. It’s about faith — uncanny faith — and completely trusting in God.

When my daughter was small, she would climb on the couch and call out, “Daddy! Catch!” He always caught her in time. She has faith in him. We thankfully lived in a small house then as he’d sometimes be in the kitchen when she called out.

In truth, we don’t want to put the Lord to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16), but our faith in Him should be just as childlike (Luke 18:17). If we’re called to build a boat in a desert, we must know He’s providing the rain. The Lord sees the whole picture and is caring for us. If we listen to Him and trust in Him, we shouldn’t need to fear.

Noah

Remember Noah? There was no hesitation as with Moses, or Joseph, or Zechariah. Noah trusted the Lord and built an ark before the flood, before he could see a need. Sometimes God asks us to do something before it makes sense.

If you’re hungry and someone say, “Go eat,” you might say, “Yes, good idea.” But if you’re not hungry and someone says, “Go eat,” you might say, “No, I’m not hungry.” What if that person knows you won’t have a chance to eat later? We play this game with children all the time. Noah build the ark before the rain. He trusted in God when circumstances didn’t make sense.

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Desmond

In the movie Hacksaw Ridge, Desmond Doss trusts in God so much as to go to war without touching a weapon. [He’s a medic.] When his company retreats, he stays tending to the wounded. At one point, he calls out to God asking what to do because he can’t hear Him. A man calls out from the dark mist and rubble for a medic. Desmond says, “All right,” and gets to work rescuing about 75 men in all.

Desmond built two boats. He was set to go to war to help save lives and he was set to stay on the ridge to saves lives. Odds were more than against him and he had no idea what would happen. Just watch the movie if you haven’t; it’s incredible.

Soulfest

I’ve built a few boats myself. A million years ago, in another life, I was young and single. Friends and I wanted to go to a Christian music festival called the Inside Out Soul Festival, now called Soulfest. We planned to volunteer full time so admission would be free. We planned to camp so our stay would be free. College. Free stuff.

One by one, my friends bailed. Soon, it was just me. I was so on fire for this; I couldn’t cancel. I went by myself. I was 21, equipped with a cell phone and AAA in case of emergency, and written directions. I took the almost 2-hour drive and had no one to meet up with. (Kids, don’t try this at home.)

Skipping to the end, I met my now-husband and father of my three kids — the same kids I don’t want trying this. I had a boat in mind, a thought that God had a plan for me, and I had to do it. My friends bailed but He rained down a ton of new friends and many of us are still connected.

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More Boats in More Deserts

I’ve had other deserts (job loss, debt, housing) and built boats where secular minds would think I shouldn’t. I’ve modified many boats along the way, but God still makes them float.

You’d think we had no business trying to buy a house on skimpy income, but we did and scraped by. We had barely a prayer to move into a bigger house, but God made it work. There was no way on earth we could afford me losing my job — half our income — and keep the house. Somehow, sticking to my faith like Desmond Doss, I saw God provide. I wouldn’t change that for the world — plus you wouldn’t be reading this. The best boat is my faith in God’s plan for our family. I wouldn’t have my little one without that.

Your Boats

So, what’s God calling you to do? Have you built any boats and trusted Him to bring the rain? Give the song a listen and see if it speaks to your soul like it does mine. We don’t understand His ways, but little at a time we can understand and trust His love for us. (Just don’t go jumping off any couches.)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely;
In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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